The humans are the direct decedents of the Calinthean Gods themselves. They have all descended from the tribes that fled Calinthea at the great sundering. Although not the first race to the lands of Valys, the Humans formed the five kingdoms that now rule all of the lands. The most numerous of all the races the Humans wield the majority of the political and military power. Although their cultures are very different in each land, Humans are the dominant race. Humans generally live to about sixty years old. In the last couple of generations certain humans have been born with a divine portent in the sky, which marks them out as chosen for greatness and grants them a spiritual link to one of the first seven Calinthean Gods.

History
The Gods were the first children of Mother Earth herself. Seven children; 5 boys and 2 girls. They lived in the centre of the face of their mother under the watchful gaze of Father Sky. Across the seas laid the great realms, the realm of Shadows and the realm of Vitae. Here they created a great civilisation, the great city of Calinthea, that spanned across the land. On this land the race of man grew, the children of the gods themselves, and it was a great time – one of peace and harmony.

However, the Gods and their children were not the only people on this land. The Demon Lords - the children of Father Sky – dwelt in the dark places and watched the growth of Calinthea. They saw the worship and adoration that the Gods were getting from their children and they grew jealous. Wishing the worship for themselves the Demon Lords tried to tempt the children of the gods, teaching them the secret of fire.

The people of Calinthea could not be tempted by the Demon Lords and over the next thousand years their civilisation grew even more prosperous and they remained faithful to the Gods. The second time the Demon Lords tried to tempt the people of the Calinthea they tempted them with the secret of magic – sorcery. This magic had the power to control people’s actions and words and those that were taught it grew in position and strength. Many more years passed but soon sorcerers were in positions in power across the land. The Demon Lords called in the favours that they had been offered and their followers started to use their power to erect large temples to the demon lords.

This caused a war which tore the civilisation of Calinthea apart. Although the followers of the Gods were a lot more in number, the power that the Sorcerers held was mighty and many flocked to their banner. In the end the Gods themselves had to intervene, performing a great rite known as the Sundering.

The Sundering banished the Gods and the Demon Lords from this land for a thousand years – the Gods trapped deep within their Mother, where the Gods were banished to dwell with their father, far away from man. A black mist filled the land of Calinthea that clawed at the heart of any one that dwelt there. The First children of the Gods took the surviving loyal followers on boats across to the Endless Seas where they found a land known as Valys. The remaining demonic cultists left to the land now known as the Demon Wastes.

It was on the lands of Valys that the tribes of man discovered the other races. The Naturae, the walking spirits of the glades and streams, kept themselves hidden from man on his arrival. The Fae resented the newcomers – and started to war against them. The war carried on for almost a hundred years, until for reason unknown to man the Fae declared a truce. In return for peace, the tribes of man learnt from the Fae and elected druids who taught them the secret of Spirit magic, living in harmony with the Earth herself.

After wars with the brutal Yo’Tan and the dark Shadowkith, man ruled all of Valys. They split themselves into five kingdoms. Over the next thousand years the five kingdoms grew and warred amongst themselves. What started as rivalry grew over the centuries and without the God’s guidance the people of Valys became bitter and twisted. Distrust between the nations grew and border disputes between the nations became common place. Even the history of their past became distorted from kingdom to kingdom.

When a thousand years had passed people started to be born under the signs of the Calinthean Lords. The Gods began to start whispering to their faithful, sending them messages and prophesies in their dreams. Dreams about the Holy Lands and the banners of the kingdoms were sent to the priests and the kings started sending scouts and explorers across the sea for find their ancient homeland. At the same time the actions of the Demon Lords started to affect people in all the five Kingdoms. The Tainted were born, lighting storms struck the land and demonic cults started to grow in both power and activity.
Culture
The Culture of the humans varies from kingdom to kingdom, although many hark back to the time of the Calinthean age. The land of Valys is a harsh and brutal place and the humans have their survival as a common theme to all of their concerns. See the kingdom section for more detail.